Electrode for storage batteries.



PATENTED MAR. 24, 1903.

T. A. EDISON. ELECTRODE FOR STORAGE BATTERIES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 28, 1902.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

' No. 723,449. PATENTED MAR. 24, 1903.-

T. A. EDISON. ELECTRODE FOR STORAGE BATTERIES. APPLICATION FILED NOV.23, 1902. N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Inventor No. 723,449. PATENTED MAR. 24, 1903. T. A. EDISON. ELEGTRODEFOR STORAGE BATTERIES. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 26, 1902. 110 MODEL. I asums-sum a.

witnesse J for Ma) L 1.. I TM UNITED STATES P TENT OFFI E."-

THOMAS A. EDISON, or LLEWELLYN' PAR K NEWfJERSEY. 7

ELECTRODE FOR STORAGE BATTERIES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letter! Patent No. 723,449, dated March24, 1903. Applioatlon flled November 28, 1902. serial Ho. 188.115. (lilomodel.)

trodes for Storage Batteries, of which the fol-- lowing is aspecification.

My invention relates to storage batteries of the type invented by me,and wherein an alkaline electrolyte is employed with insoluble activematerials. The preferable material used for depolarizing purposes is anelectrolytically-active oxid of nickel, and that for the oxidizableelement on discharge is electrolytically-active iron or compoundthereof. These .active materials are supported in position withinsheet-metal nickel plated perforated corrugated pockets or receptaclescrimped in position within openings formed in suitable plates or grids.-I have found in practice, and especially so in connection with thenickel element, that the active material when immersed in theelectrolyte and subjected to a charging-current tends to objectionablybulge at the center, so that the plates cannot be placed su'fliciently.close to each other, as is desirable where weight of electrolyte issought to be reduced.

I have found that by concaving the pockets or receptacles when theelectrode is first as-. sembled the swelling of the active material Idoes not objectionably bulge the latter, wherethe objection by I amenabled to overcome noted, and it is to this feature that the ,inventionprincipally relates. I have also found that the best results are securedin practice when the manufacture follows a definite line of procedure,and this process constitutes the second part of my invention.

In order that my invention maybe better understood, attention isdirected to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification, and in which- Figure 1 is a plan'view of a set ofindependently-mounted smooth concaving-dies; Fig. 2, a sectional viewthrough the same and illustrating also the opposing set ofsolidly-mounted concaving-dies; Fig. 3, a crosssectional view throughthe latter dies; Figs. 4, 5, and 6 views corresponding to Figs. 1, 2,and 3, illustrating the eorr'ugating-dies;

ing a single pocket or receptacle in position therein; Fig. 8, across-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, showingthe two parts of oneof the pockets introduced in position within one of the openings in thegrid; and Fig.9, a corresponding view on showing the smooth dies foreifecting a crimping of the pockets and for also concaving the same.-

hall the above views corresponding parts are represented by the samenumerals of reference.

1 represents the grid or plate, made of iron or steel, carefullynickel-plated and formed with openings 2 therein, and 3 represents oneof the sheet-metal nickel-plated corrugated pockets or receptaclescrimped into position in one of the openings. Each of these pockets orreceptacles is composed of two cup-shaped parts Land 5, the formerreceiving the latter. The briquet is first introduced into the part 5and the edges are turned down underneath the briquet, so as to firmlylock the briquet in the part 5. rying the briquet, is then introducedinto the part 4, so that when a crimping pressure is applied to bothparts the part 5 will be locked within the part 4, and the pocket orreceptacle as a whole will be crimped around the edges of the openinginwhich itisintroduced, "so as to be firmly locked in place thereifi'n. Byturning'th-e edges of thepartii ardu'ndt e briquet, as explained, thebriquet will be held introduced into the part 5, as I have described inprevious patents; As shown in Fig.9, the pockets or receptacles areconcaved longitudinally,

tiona'bly bulge the pockets. This inward strengthens them somewhat toresist bulging strains, as will be obvious. The concaving fected bymeans of dies, which apply pressure to all the pockets of a singleplate, so that a complete electrode will be formed bya singlecompressing operation. I find, however, in practice that the bestresults are secured in the manufacture of corrugated pockets when twosets of dies are employed, one foreffect- Fig. 7, a'plan view of one ofthe grids, show-' the same scale,

more rigidly in position than when it is merely.

concaving or arching of the pockets also.

and crimping of the-pockets in place are ef- (See Fig. 8.) The part 5,earso that when any swelling of the active material takes place it willnot objecingthe crimping and concaving of the pockets and the other foreffecting the corrugating thereof, since in this way the application oftherefore employ two sets of dies, one set be ing shown in Figs. 1, 2,and 3, and the other set being shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6. Referring tothe first set, represents a heavy frame carried by the movable member ofa by draulic or other powerful press. Mounted in this frame are a numberof blocks 5, each carryinga die 6, secu red to the blocks by means ofpins 7. The blocks5are capable of independent movement with respect toeach other and with respect to the frame 2 by being strung on pins 8,engaging slotted openings in said blocks. Behind the blocks is a layerof rubber 9 or other suitable yielding but non-compressible material,whereby any one of the dies 6 is capable of moving independently of theother dies. Cooperating with the dies 6 are corresponding dies 10,carried by a plate 11,

secured to the stationary member of the press. As shown in Fig. 3, thedies 6 and 10 are provided with smooth convex surfaces.

.It will be obvious that by assembling the two parts, 4 and 5, of eachreceptacle in the several pockets of the plate and by first introducinga briquet of the active material in said pockets the application ofpressure to the frame 4 will cause the dies 6 and 10 to force the parts4 and 5 .of each pocket to gether to lock the part 5 within the part 4to crimp the pocket or receptacle as a whole around the edges of thecorresponding opening and to concave the longitudinal faces of eachpocket. This application of smooth concaving-dies effects an evendistribution of the active material throughout each of the pockets.

The dies shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are identical with those previouslydescribed, except that the dies 12 and 13 (corresponding to the dies 6and 10, respectively,) are provided with transverse corrugations, asshownin Fig. 6. \Vhen the pockets or receptacles have been concaved andcrimped in position within the grid or plate, the latter is placedbetween the dies 12 and 13 and pressure applied, whereby the pockets orreceptacles will be transversely corrugated, as I have described inpatents already granted. vBy thus transversely corrugating the exposedsurfaces of the pockets or receptacles the strength of the latter isvery materially increased, permit-ting the employment of lighter sheetmetal.

The purpose of mounting the dies 6 and 12 so that they shall be capableof independent movement is to accommodate variations in the amount ofactive material in the several pockets and inevitable :infamanufacturing operation'carried out on a large scale.

'ters Paten t, is as follows i 1. A battery-electrode, comprising aplatehaving an opening therein, a pocket or zcep tacle'secured in saidopening and having a concaved surface, and an active material in saidpocket or receptacle, substantially as set forth.

2. A battery-electrode, comprising a plate having an opening therein, apocket or receptacle secured in said opening and having concavedsurfaces,and an active material in said pocketorreceptacle,snbstantiallyas set forth.- Y

3. A battery-electrode, comprising a plate having an opening therein, apocket or receptacle secured in said opening and having aconcavedcorrugated surface, and an active material in said pocket or stantiallyas set forth.

4. A battery-electrode, comprising a plate having an opening therein, apocket or receptacle secured in said opening and having concavedcorrugated surfaces, and an active material in said pocket orreceptacle, substantially as set forth.

5. A battery-electrode, comprising a plate having an opening therein, apocket or receptacle havinga concaved surface and crimped in positionwithin said opening, and an active material in said pocket orreceptacle, substantially as set forth.

6. A battery-electrode, comprising a plate having an opening therein, apocket or receptacle made'of two parts, crimped in position within theopening and having a concaved surface, and an active material in saidpocket or receptacle, substantially as set forth.

7. A battery-electrode, comprising a. plate having a plurality ofopenings therein, a pocket or receptacle in each opening having aconcaved surface, and an active material in said pocket or receptacle,substantially as set forth.

8. A battery-electrode, comprising a plate having a plurality ofopenings therein, a pocket or receptacle in each opening having concavedsurfaces, and an active material in said pocket or receptacle,substantially as set forth.

9. A battery-electrode, comprising'a plate having a. plurality ofopenings therein, a pocket or receptacle crimped in position in eachopening and having a concaved surface, and an active material in saidpocket or receptacle, substantially as set forth.

10. A battery-electrode, comprising a plate having an opening therein, apocket orrecep- Havingmow described my invention, what -I claim as new,and desire to secure by Letreceptacle, subtacle secured in said openingand of less thickness along its longitudinal center than at the sides,and an active material in said pocket .or receptacle, substantially asset forth.

teri'el and secured in said opening, the pocket or receptacle beingformed of two cup-shaped or receptacle being formed of two clip-sha pparts received one within the other, one of the parts having turned-overedges to lock the briqne't therein, and being in turn locked within theother part by turned-over edges, as and for the purposes set forth. 1

12. A battery-electrode, comprising a plate having an opening thereinand a pocket or receptacle containing a. briquet of active ma.- terialand secured in said opening, the pockedt parts received one wlthin theother, one of the parts having turned-over edges to lock the briqnettherein and being in turn locked within theother part by turned-overedges, and the exposed surfaces of the pocket or receptaclebeingconcaved, as and for the purposes set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 20 13th day ofNovember,1902.

THOS. A. EDISON.

Witnesses:

FRANK L. DYER, J. F. RANDOLPH.

